cushioning

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

cushioning

1. present participle and gerund of cushion

Noun

cushioning (countable and uncountable, plural cushionings)

1. Material used to cushion something.
   • 1872, L. R. E, The Pace that Kills: A Tale of the Day, volume 2, page 51:

     Beneath them lay the calm sleeping waters of the lake, dotted with its beautiful islands […] while away in the distance, like a silver thread among the richest cushionings, the little river itself flowed peacefully onward in its course.

2. (slang, neologism, social media) The act or practice of someone entertaining other potential romantic options while the person is in a committed relationship.

See also

• breadcrumbing
• ghosting
• zombieing